


Soulmates (Never) Bothered Me Anyway

by neverananghel



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Frozen Movie Reference, M/M, Soulmates, i'm so sorry elsa, mentioned!ChanSoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 21:05:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16668289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverananghel/pseuds/neverananghel
Summary: Jongin loves to hear what songs get stuck in his soulmate’s head but if he has to listen to “Let It Go” one more time he just might cry.





	Soulmates (Never) Bothered Me Anyway

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #: 59  
> Author's Note:  
> Hi prompter! I fell in love with this prompt the first moment I saw it! I hope that my meager writing skills can satisfy you and the other readers for this story. Enjoy!

_The snow glows white on the mountain tonight_

_Not a footprint to be see—_

 

Jongin jolts awake with a groan. “Oh my god, please, _let it go_!”

 

\--

 

He never imagined that hearing the music that’s stuck in his soulmate’s head will be this... _annoying_.

 

Knowing the song that your destined partner loves at the moment and connecting with them through music.

 

Doesn’t it sound romantic?

 

After all, his two of his best friends, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, finally got together after years of skirting with each other’s feelings when they started hearing each other’s favorite songs at the moment in their head.

 

This certain ability for soulmates is actually supposed to be romantic.

 

But ever since Jongin’s eighteenth birthday, the moment that he’ll first hear the song his soulmate has last song syndrome (LSS) for, he’s been constantly hearing Frozen’s—yes, the movie with the snowman who likes warm hugs or something—theme song. It hasn’t changed since then. Jongin’s birthday is in January, it’s now _March_.

 

The only thing that he can do is complain about his predicament to his friends. Because if he can’t escape it and is miserable about it, he doesn’t have to be miserable alone, you know?

 

“I just don’t understand it, Sehun,” Jongin starts, sliding noisily and immediately dropping his tray on their usual table at the cafeteria, his hands immediately slapping his friend’s hand away from the fries he ordered, “what kind of sane man would be so stuck on a song from a children’s film for more than a week? Don’t tell me—my soulmate’s a child?”

 

Sehun, half-listening to Jongin’s rant that he’s heard countless times, pouts at being denied his fries. He stares longingly at the object of his desires in his friend’s tray, and answers Jongin tonelessly, “Congrats, dude. Your soulmate’s actually a child. Going pedo now, are we?”

 

“You little shi—”

 

“I’m taller than you, hey, Jongi—”

Chanyeol arrives at their table just at the right time to stop Jongin from strangling Sehun, his tall body blocking Jongin from reaching their other friend. Kyungsoo arrives just a few seconds, sighing at the situation and immediately slappingSehun at the back of his head.

 

Sehun pouts and complains, “Why’d you hit me, hyung!”

 

Kyungsoo sits down beside Sehun, letting Chanyeol appease Jongin. Knowing Sehun well, he rolls his eyes at the younger’s question, “Sehun, Jongin wouldn’t be threatening to kill you if you didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

“I didn’t do anything wrong!”

 

“Then you said something wrong. No point in arguing with me. So,” Kyungsoo turns to Jongin, not softening his glare a little, “what did Sehun say now?”

 

Jongin opens his mouth but it’s Sehun who answers, “I called him a pedo because of his soulmate. Because, as he said, what kind of sane man would be LSS-ing on Let It Go for more than a mont—help!”

 

Kyungsoo just sighs, exchanging looks with Chanyeol, as they try to stop Jongin from killing Sehun. In Jongin’s defense, Sehun deserves it.

 

\--

 

It’s not the first time Sehun has said something weird about his soulmate situation. But, even as he tries to forget it, Jongin can’t help think about Sehun’s careless remark earlier at lunch.

 

What if his soulmate really is still a child?

 

Sehun and Chanyeol are also fans of Disney animation movies, but while they also like and get hungover with various soundtracks from Disney movies, they don’t get stuck over one song for a long period of time. From what he sees, it lasts for two days the least and two weeks (this record is courtesy of Sehun, who blasted in their dorms the song How Far I’ll go from Moana roughly two years ago. Chanyeol’s You’re Welcome phase came close though, lasting for thirteen days) at most.

 

Besides, who would actually have an LSS in a song that was released 5 years ago for months? Unless you’re a kid that recently discovered the movie, right? While kids are known for their short attention span, they also have the tendency to fixate on one thing for long periods of time until they move on to their next obsessions.

 

Jongin mindlessly goes through his remaining afternoon classes, the words from Let It Go playing on and off in his mind. He tries not to let it get to him, not wanting to further plunge his mood.

 

It’s silly, and he knows more than anyone that the soulmate business is a very tricky thing.

 

For example, he knows how much Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, despite how good their relationship is now, struggled with their feelings for each other. While at first glance it looks like Kyungsoo favors Jongin by how he usually escapes unscathed from teasing the elder while Chanyeol commonly ends up in a chokehold, he knows that Kyungsoo’s heart has always been set on Chanyeol. He’s not the one Kyungsoo confides to, he’s not the one the first person Kyungsoo’s eyes drift to, he’s not the one who can Kyungsoo talks to endlessly despite his friend usually being a man of few words, and he’s not the one who’s the cause of Kyungsoo’s heart-shaped smiles.

 

He also knows how Chanyeol, despite knowing that Kyungsoo will punish him for the teasing, still persists and is usually rewarded with Kyungsoo’s smiles and deep laughs. He also knows how Chanyeolused to continuously doubt himself when it comes to Kyungsoo, whether one of these days, his teasing will get too far and he won’t even be Kyungsoo’s friend anymore.

 

Jongin’s happiness is probably only second to the two when he discovered that they were soulmates. And from the stories of his parents and his sisters, he knows that Fate isn’t known for her smooth-sailing moments.

 

Eighteen is hardly old, only on the cusp of adulthood. If his soulmate is still a child, it’s hardly a feat for him to wait for him or her to reach legal age and pursue a romantic relationship with each other.

 

Still, Jongin can’t help the disappointment he feels when he thinks of the situation like that. He’s always been a romantic at heart, not indulging in relationships too much, waiting for the one for him.

 

He wants to meet that person. He wants to be in a relationship with that person. To do the things that people romantically involved with each other do—dates, kisses, couple items, etc.

 

When the bell rings, signifying the end of his last period, Jongin is slow to move. He packs up his things as if he has all the time in the world until the only people left in the room are him and the TA, Kim Min-something.

 

From his peripheral vision, he can see the TA’s mouth moving, and as he listens closely, he can hear faint humming, the sound soft that he can’t distinguish the melody. Deciding that he’s stalled enough time, he finishes packing and moves to the door, which is just next to where the other person in the room is.

 

As he gets closer to the door, he vaguely notices the increasing volume of the song in his head.

_Be the good girl you always have to be_

_Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them kno—_

 

He bows absently to the TA, “Uhm, goodbye.” And quickly bypasses the other, taking only three steps to reach the doorway.

 

“Goodbye, Jongin-ssi.”

 

_Let it go!_

 

Jongin’s eyes widen, the sudden burst of the chorus of the song and his name snapping him to attention. He turns around, looking for the TA who he knows is the only person who could’ve said his name, but there’s no one there. He’s alone in the entryway, not another person in sight and the silence deafening.

 

If he rushes towards the practice rooms for his dance rehearsal frantic and weirded out, no one will be able to tell.

 

\--

 

Jongin regrets that he locks eyes with Taemin the moment he steps into the practice room.

 

Years of friendship with Lee Taemin has taught him two things: one, Lee Taemin is a little shit; and two, Lee Taemin is the biggest little shit he’s ever had the misfortune of befriending.

 

Because from the way Taemin’s eyes curve and twinkle with that familiar mischievous glint, he knows he’ll want and _try_ to kill him. The keyword here is try.

 

(“Because you actually love me, that’s why you can’t kill me, my dear Nini,” Taemin will say always, as this situation is not really a one-time thing.)

 

So Taemin, in his best—worst—voice, begins to sing:

 

_Let it go, let it go!_

_Can’t hold it back anymore_

_Let it go, let it go!_

_Turn away and slam the—_

 

Luckily, before Jongin can again commit attempted murder, their professor entered the studio effectively shutting up Taemin’s horrible singing. He breathes a sigh of relief, moving quickly beside Taemin and pinching him on the side, before focusing on his professor, not caring about his friend’s quiet snickering.

 

“Good afternoon class,” Professor Jung starts, “I regret to inform you that we won’t have classes today because of a conference I have to attend this evening.”

 

The class cheers loudly, the professor laughing at their antics. “Yeah, yeah, I know, how great, right, so, since finals are near—”, they let out a chorus of boos making Professor Jung smirk, “as I said, since finals are near, I’m just gonna announce your final project. This project will make up the final 30% of your grade for this class.

 

For this year, we’ll have a dance recital. The date has also been set—this recital will happen on March 26. Each of you will need to prepare a 5-minute freestyle performance. Everything will be decided by you—the music and what kind of dance you’ll perform.

 

Kindly email to me your music choice and the file you’re going to use at least a week before the recital. That’s all, you’re dismissed.”

 

With that, the professor leaves them. He can see some of his classmates leave immediately, prompting Jongin to move and prepare to leave also, his mind already on what he’ll do for their project.

 

He says goodbye to Taemin quickly, not wanting to risk more teasing from the latter. He hears the song that’s been stuck in his soulmate’s head again, by this time already expecting it to pop in his head random times of the day.

 

As he exits the building, he thinks he sees his TA, Kim Min—something (he still can’t remember the last syllable of his TA’s name) in one of the practice rooms. He doesn’t know why his TA would ever be in the building where art and performance majors usually go (because as far as he knows, his TA is a Science major), but he doesn’t let it concern him.

 

He walks back to the dorms, singing softly to Let It Go. (Seriously, why this song?)

 

\--

 

Days passed and Jongin is in a pinch. With exactly six days left before the recital, he’s surely in trouble because he still can’t decide on the music he’s going to use for his final project.

 

To make his mood worse, Professor Jung has asked to meet him after his classes today to talk about his progress in the final project. He’s already dreading how the meeting will go.

 

So, he goes through the day lost in thoughts. So lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice the bell ringing to signify the end of his last class.

 

“Jongin-ssi? Jongin-ssi?”

 

Jongin startles when he feels a poke on his shoulder, turning away from his dazed staring outside the window to find his TA—whose last syllable of the name he still can’t remember—smiling awkwardly at him, his cheeks bunching up and his gums showing fully.

 

He blushes, his lips moving automatically to reflect the smile being flashed at him only to catch himself at the last minute, and blushes even more. Jongin clears his throat, his eyes wandering. Only then does he notice that he’s the only one in the classroom.

 

He has a hunch at what’s happening, so he asks, “Uhm… the class is over?”

 

The TA’s smile grows wider at his question. “Yes, actually, Jongin-ssi,” he replies with a giggle, his eyes twinkling with the mischievous glint he often sees in Taemin’s eyes, “I called you but you didn’t hear me, so I touched you. I’m sorry to disturb, but we gotta leave this classroom since someone from the night classes will come in anytime now.

 

“And also,” the TA continues, Jongin staring intently at him, hooked at the way the TA’s eyes meet his, with his heart pounding wildly in his chest for some unknown reason, “I believe you have to meet Professor Jung in 5 minutes. So you really have to get going, Jongin-ssi.”

 

At that statement, Jongin widens his eyes at his TA, “How—how did you—”

 

“I have my ways. But you really have to get going, lest you make Professor Jung mad at you. He hates latecomers, you know.”

 

Jongin, knowing how a stickler for punctuality Professor Jung is, heeds to the TA’s advice, packing his things as fast as he can, at the same time sending confused looks to his still smiling TA.

 

He hooks his backpack in his shoulder once he’s done, he bows to the TA, and thanks him, “Uhm… thank you, Kim Min—ugh, uhm…” Jongin blushes embarrassed that he can’t remember the name of his TA considering that he’s been with them since the start of the second semester.

 

“It’s Minseok, Jongin-ssi. Kim Minseok,” the TA, Kim Minseok, prompts, snorting at the way Jongin’s face turns even redder.

 

“Yeah… sorry. Thank you, Kim Minseok-ssi. Uh… goodbye!”

 

And then he dashes to the exit, too ashamed to even look at Kim Minseok in the eye. He hears a shout of “good luck” from the classroom he just left, but Jongin’s too ashamed to look back. 

 

\--

 

As he predicted, meeting with Professor Jung was not good news.

 

(“Jongin, you’re one of my favorite students,” Professor Jung starts, Jongin playing with his fingers with how nervous he is, “you have such potential and a lot of talent, and I can see you reaching great heights with your talent. But I need you to focus. You’re the only one who still hasn’t submitted their music choice for the upcoming recital and that’s less than a week away. You’re already late as it is.

 

This project is your finals. The percentage of your grades at stake in this project is too big for you to not focus on it. Do you understand, Jongin?”

 

Jongin nods, his mouth opening and closing forming a reply. He feels humiliated, and ashamed—of himself. He knows how important this project is to him, and he really wants to do well in this—he knows he can do well in this project. But for that to happen, he needs to pick a music first. And he’s so, so, so ashamed that up to now, he can’t even do that.

 

Professor Jung sighs, standing up and rounding his table, patting Jongin’s shoulder once he arrives at where he is. He sits across Jongin and continues, “I don’t like to do this and I’m sorry. Email me your music choice by tomorrow. I can’t give you an extension longer than that. Is that clear?”

 

Chastised, Jongin replies a quiet “yes”. After that, Professor Jung allows him to leave.)

 

Whenever Jongin is feeling sad, frustrated, angry, or annoyed and can’t find another way to relieve these emotions, he dances.

 

Being a dance major at their university has given him the freedom to access the practice rooms anytime he wants, giving him the space he needs to clear his thoughts and just think about the music, and how he can move his body according to it.

 

He plays the music from his player, his body in position and ready to move. For today, he chooses one of his favorites, the song “I See You”, one of the first songs he’s danced to. As he closes his eyes and disconnects himself from the world, the music his only company, he lets his thoughts wander.

 

He’s been in love with the dance from the first lesson he had on ballet when he was six. His memories of that moment are vague and blurry now, but he can still remember the awe, excitement, and fascination he felt when he saw the dancers’ performance.

 

It was his father’s wish then, that he learn ballet. But as he continuously attends the lessons, he falls deeper and deeper in love with it. By the time that he enters high school, his passion for dance rivals his passion for anime, manga, and his dogs.

 

He has expanded since then, not only sticking to ballet but also learning jazz and hip-hop. It’s only right that when he was choosing a major for college, he chooses Dance. He thanks his stars that his parents’ support never wavered in all his decisions in life.

 

The music cuts off then, the silence startling Jongin into stopping his movements. He’s panting from exertion, but his body feels lighter, the things that weigh in his mind pushed at the back for now.

 

And as he walks back to his dorm, the song Let It Go playing in his head courtesy of his mysterious soulmate, he can feel his body buzzing with the desire to move to the beat.

 

Perfect. He now has an idea on what to perform for their upcoming dance finals.

 

\--

 

After some of the most stressful days of Jongin’s life, it’s finally happening.

 

He’s currently at the backstage, warming up his body. The dance recital is open to the public, and, just like the previous dance recitals their university has organized, it’s packed with people. He can hear the muted sounds of people moving here and there accompanying the music playing, making his nerves even more jittery.

 

Still, Jongin’s glad that despite the challenge he experienced with choosing the music he’s going to use and the stress of the days after he has picked it to polish his performance over and over again, he’s already here, ready to go up on that stage and perform.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Jongin sees some people walking towards him. He turns, and he recognizes Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, and Sehun coming over to him.

 

He meets them halfway, smiling, “You came!”

 

“Of course,” Sehun snorts, “what, you’d think we’ll miss the chance to see you bomb your performance? No way!”

 

“You little shi—”

 

Kyungsoo whacks Sehun and Jongin in the head before they even start squabbling. “Okay kids,” Kyungsoo glares at the both of them, Sehun and Jongin immediately tucking their metaphorical tails in between their legs. Despite being the shortest, Kyungsoo is the scariest person in the world—aside from Jongin’s mom—when he glares at you like that.

 

“Behave,” Kyungsoo reprimands. Jongin can see Chanyeol grinning widely, one of his hands behind Kyungsoo, no doubt touching his boyfriend’s back to calm him down.

 

Chanyeol then asks Jongin, “So, what song did you pick? You’ve been so secretive about it.”

 

“Ah, that,” Jongin drawls, smiling cheekily at the anticipating looks his friends give him, “I guess, you’ll just have to watch my performance.”

 

His friends groan at that. Complaining why he’s been keeping it from them. He just watches them, not giving in to the constant urging of Chanyeol and Sehun.

 

Just then, Jongin is called.

 

“Kim Jongin-ssi on standby, please! You’re on in two!”

 

Jongin parts with his friends then, hastily saying goodbyes and promises to meet after the recital. He stands at the stage entrance just in time to see one of the seniors bowing to the audience, and the audience clapping thunderously for his performance.

 

He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and opens them again. He steps through the entrance, the lights making him wince internally from their intensity. He can’t see the audience, which eases his nervousness a little. Jongin sees from the corner of his eyes the signal of the sound director, so he positions his body, and lets the opening notes of “Let It Go” consume him.

 

This performance is for him—a release, a question, a resolution, a signal of hope and waiting. This performance is for him, and his _soulmate_ , whoever they may be.

 

_Showtime_.

 

\--

 

The recital ends with all of the dancers bowing on the stage.

 

Jongin accepts graciously all the congratulations and well wishes for him, bowing continuously to everyone who greets him. He’s busy moving here and there, thanking everyone who organized the events, his professors, and those who congratulate him and congratulating also the other performers.

 

It’s not until a few minutes later that Jongin escapes from the crowd, now on his way to the dressing room to change so that he could meet up his friends.

 

He’s just a few steps away from the dressing room when he hears someone calling his name.

 

“Kim Jongin-ssi!”

 

So he turns around, only to be met with the face of Kim Minseok, his TA. Jongin is bewildered. What would his TA need from him? He bows respectfully, hiding the confusion he’s feeling and greeting his TA quietly, “Ah, Kim Minseok-ssi, hello.”

 

Kim Minseok beams, “Congratulations! That was a really, really great performance! Professor Jung invited me to watch the recital, and it was worth it. You’re really a good dancer, Jongin-ssi.”

 

“Ah,” Jongin blushes from the onslaught of compliments, his heart beating faster at  the way Kim Minseok is looking at him, “thank you.”

 

“You know, Jongin-ssi,” Minseok continues as he stares directly to Jongin, “that’s been my favorite song for months now.” And then the elder winks.

 

He stills at that, his eyes widening as his brain processes Minseok’s last statement. He can feel his heart pick up speed again, the pounding in his chest so loud, deafening his surroundings aside from the rhythmic thumping sound. He knows it’s too far-fetched to decide just from a single statement, but he can’t help but wonder, _no way_ , could Minseok possibly—

 

Like a puppet manipulated by a string, Jongin swears that his hand moves on its own, reaching out to Kim Minseok, wanting nothing but to establish contact and to confirm. He grasps Minseok’s hand, and Jongin swears that the world-stopping motion that dramas and movies use to signify a moment happened to him.

 

Because, as soon as Jongin intertwines his fingers with Minseok’s, he can feel the world stop spinning as if he’s suspended in space with nothing and no one else but Kim Minseok with him. His breathing quickens, and the warmth that the TA’s hand emits is electrifying his hand but he can’t—doesn’t want to let go. It’s exhilarating, this feeling, and Jongin wants it to both stop and not.

 

His gaze then moves lower, and that’s when he sees it, the shimmery thin thread tying themselves in his pinky finger before moving to the elder’s, answering Jongin’s questions earlier.

 

Kim Minseok, his TA, is his _soulmate_.

 

His annoying soulmate who has the song “Let It Go”, a soundtrack from the Disney movie Frozen which he’s pretty sure is targeted for children, stuck in his head for months.

 

“Oh, wow,” Minseok exclaims.

 

That snaps Jongin back to reality, his gaze moving up and meeting Minseok’s. They stare at each other for a few seconds, and then suddenly, they break out laughing, breathless from all the emotions this has brought to them.

 

And then Jongin sees his friends from his peripheral vision peering curiously at him and at his companion. He lets his laugh die down then, but doesn’t let the smile on his face—he’s finally met his soulmate.

 

“You know,” Jongin starts, caressing Minseok’s hand in his and admiring the way the red thread moves around them as if played by an invisible wind, “my friends and I are having a ‘congratulatory’ dinner. Would you like to come with us, Minseok... uhm—”

 

“You can call me hyung, Jongin-ah.”

 

“...Minseok-hyung?”

 

“You know what, Jongin,” Minseok replies, squeezing Jongin’s hand tightly once and then loosening his grip, “I’d love to.”

 

Jongin beams.

 

\--

 

**EPILOGUE**

 

Summer break’s already started since a few weeks ago, which means that it has also been almost two months since Jongin’s dance recital.

 

And, it has also been two months since Jongin and Minseok started dating.

 

Ever since then, they’ve been getting to know each other and going on dates whenever they can. Their choice of location for today’s date is karaoke. Minseok told him on one of their dates that he’s been part of the choir ever since he’s been a child, even being scouted once by a talent agent but he didn’t have any desire to be an idol, so he declined.

 

So here they are, in a karaoke room, so that Jongin’s wish to hear Minseok sing will be fulfilled. The elder has keyed in the song, so they’re only waiting for the song to start.

 

From the way Minseok is grinning, Jongin gets an inkling on what song will play. He hopes that he’ll be proven wrong, but when familiar musical notes echo throughout the room, Jongin can’t help but groan, “Oh, no, please, _no_.”

 

“Too late,” Minseok smirks raising the mic and moves his fingers as if playing the piano—perfectly imitating Jongin’s opening steps for the song during the recital.

 

Jongin buries his head in his hands, “Seriously, hyung, _let it go_!”

**Author's Note:**

> This was such a fun ride, though I don’t know if I gave the prompt justice. I aimed for it to be fun and more of a crack, instead, I was buried in real-life work and lost the time and inspiration to continue this fic. But at last, ‘tis done! Hope you enjoyed this fic of mine!
> 
> Comments and kudos are very, very, very much appreciated! ♥


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